Barley

[saraha]

I am trying to make my first poll!  I hope it works.  Do you eat barley? If so, how?  I am looking into it as a possible for my cooking class.

Thanks!

Edited February 20, 2017 by saraha

[Arctic Bunny]

In beef veggie barley soup. Pretty adventurous, I know.

[SparklyUnicorn]

I make this sometimes:

 

http://www.barleyfoods.org/recipes/barley_german.html

 

I add a bit to soups.

 

That's about it. 

 

 

[regentrude]

Yes. I use it in soup. In place of (or in addition to) wheat, rice, or lentils.

Edited February 20, 2017 by regentrude

[regentrude]

ETA: You can also use it as a cooked grain instead of rice. Tastes hearty, nice texture. Rice is way cheaper though.

[SparklyUnicorn]

I don't eat it often, but of all the grains it is my favorite.  I agree, it is more expensive.

 

 

[HSmomof2]

I don't eat it.....it doesn't agree with my digestive system for some reason.

[bolt.]

I pre-cook (and rinse) it, then freeze it in pre-portioned Ziplocks. I usually cook two full bags-as-sold in my two largest pots, with plenty of water for 35 minutes (after it boils).

 

We use it as a side dish and/or a pasta substitute. My kids also like it cold with sweet toppings for breakfast, or in preparations resembling 'pasta salad'. (Also in soup.)

 

It's extremely affordable in my area -- more so than brown rice. Maybe it's local.

 

My best convenience food is to thaw and heat a few portions of barley, and assemble a dish similar to Mac-and-cheese. It's faster, easier and healthier than making a box of Mac-and-cheese.

[Carol in Cal.]

We try to use it because it's got a lower glycemic index than most other grains or pastas, which is good for DH.

We use it in soups instead of rice, or in tabouli type salads.

I have tried making it like rice pilaf, but it didn't turn out all that well.

[Crimson Wife]

I used to use it fairly often until my youngest child went gluten-free. Most of the things I used to serve with barley I now serve with quinoa but I learned the hard way that quinoa doesn't hold up well in soups.

[HeWillSoar]

I said no because I'm gluten free but once upon a time I'd use it in soup.

[cjzimmer1]

I make beef barley soup with lots of thyme. I really like barley but I've never really run across recipes for it for anything but soup.

[Ailaena]

We use it as occasional alternatives to rice and oatmeal. Actually, we often mix it in with oatmeal. The rolled barley, obviously :p I also usually mix the flaked barley into any bread I'm making.

 

I am now going to th using it as a pasta thanks to bolt!

[Bluegoat]

I use it in stew, or sometimes as a cooked grain like rice.  Once I made a sort of risotto which was really yummy.

[Mom22ns]

I only eat it as an ingredient in processed food. I don't cook it.

[Butter]

I don't eat barley anymore because I have Celiac, but before I was diagnosed, I ate it on occasion.  Usually I put it in soup.  Occasionally just boiled as a side like rice.

[bolt.]

We use it as occasional alternatives to rice and oatmeal. Actually, we often mix it in with oatmeal. The rolled barley, obviously :p I also usually mix the flaked barley into any bread I'm making.

 

I am now going to th using it as a pasta thanks to bolt!

It's not quite like pasta in an, 'I wouldn't have guessed this isn't pasta!' -- way. It's more that almost any meal/dish that I think of as a pasta meal/dish is usually equally delicious (but different) as a barley meal/dish.

 

Rising it after its cooked is critical, and, also, be careful not to over cook it.

Edited February 20, 2017 by bolt.

[Cinder]

We eat barley in vegetarian chili; that's it.

[Jean in Newcastle]

I put it in what is basically a chili recipe.  About 1/2 cup for the pot. 

[Arcadia]

Barley water for traditional cooling down the body purposes. Boil pearl barley with four to ten times the amount of water depending on how concentrated you want the drink to be.

 

Alton Brown's version http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/alton-brown/barley-water-recipe

[AmandaVT]

I like barley - we put it in soup, or make a mushroom barley "risotto" sometimes that's quite tasty. 

[Matryoshka]

I also love to put it in soups. I like it in there better than pasta or rice.

 

I've never made it, but barley mushroom risotto sounds yummy!

[Laura Corin]

Pearl barley in stews.  I'm making a bean, barley and celeriac stew for tomorrow, then with rocket and lemon zest stirred in at the end.

[Lady Florida.]

Yes. We eat it in soup, especially vegetable beef barley soup.

[Matryoshka]

This thread inspired dinner tonight.

 

I threw the mostly picked-over chicken carcass from earlier this week in a pot, made some broth and picked the bones bare, and tossed the tiny amount of chicken left, barley, a whole lot of mushrooms and some spinach back into the de-fatted broth.  I have no idea what that is, but hopefully it will be something good.  I'm thinking of adding a can of white beans in later if I feel that would add to the mix...

[IfIOnly]

There's a yummy lentil and barley soup recipe in the Betty Crocker cookbook that I used to make. We're GF now though.

[Jane in NC]

I love the mushroom barley soup recipe from Moosewood. Yum!

[IfIOnly]

It was similar to this: http://www.food.com/recipe/barley-lentil-soup-136977

[happi duck]

Lentil barley soup

[DesertBlossom]

Sometimes I make it for breakfast. 2 cups of barley, 5 cups of water, a couple of diced apples and a sprinkle of cinnamon. I put it in the crock pot for 3 or 4 hours. I prepare it the night before and turn it in the night. Which sounds kind of ridiculous, but I am up a few times a night anyway. It would probably work in the instant pot.

[EMS83]

Soups!  Hoping to expand to breakfast grain soon, when I start buying it in bulk.

[saraha]

Thanks!